Air, Air everywhere but Not a Wisp to Breathe
by Chrisii
Summary: Alvin, Jay, and Antonio are trapped in a panic room beneath a house. Of course, it's a great opportunity to discover that Antonio is slightly claustrophobic, even more so when he had just been pistol-whipped by their suspect.


**NB: Brettonio is real in this.**

"HE'S GETTING AWAY!"

Jay turned swiftly, thankful for his quick reflexes as their suspect barrelled by him, firing behind him with no qualms or care as to what or who he was hitting. Jay heard both his teammates hitting the floor, all too aware that unlike him, neither of them were wearing bulletproof vests.

Given that Antonio was part of the fray, Jay would prefer it if he remained away from the bullets, especially considering that he wasn't very lucky in avoiding them.

The second that the onslaught of bullets ceased Olinsky and Halstead were once again on their suspect's heels, who was unsurprisingly light on his feet. His lithe frame weaved between the furniture with ease, the task of toppling them over not impeding his speed as he disappeared down a set of stairs; the door slamming shut behind him.

"You're trapped, Ryan. Drop the gun." Olinsky called out as he yanked open the door which seemed to lead to the basement.

"GUYS, GET DOWN!" They did not have the chance to light the switch before Antonio appeared behind them, panic etched onto his features as he pushed them all inside, the three toppling down the few steps and colliding harshly with an ajar metal door. Thankfully, a piece of wood kept it from closing completely, and although bruised and scraped, the three of them quickly slid in and closed the door behind them. Urgency bubbled through their veins, even if its cause was known only by Antonio, who was clearly petrified.

"The whole place is gonna blow." He explained between puffs of air just as an explosion sounded from above them, a combustion of air evidently hitting the door that they rested against as huge crashes of debris rocked their roof, the house above clearly falling to pieces. A series of metal clangs ensured that their entry would not be their exit, at least unless they got help.

As the dust settled, even if nothing was disturbed within the surprisingly untouched room, Jay reopened his eyes, surprised that he had closed them, and truly gazed around. It was almost pitch black; the darkness only cut by a very dim lighting that seemed to come from the metal walls themselves. It was a creepy, azure light, giving the impression that they were in a lab rather than a basement. Jay blinked blearily, noticing that the lights were steadfastly getting brighter, until an after-shock of the explosion caused them to nearly fizzle out and return back to their dim state, shrouding the room in shadows.

Undoubtedly, the room had not been used for a while; The dust was only disturbed by their new, erratic footprints and there were cardboard boxes piled in one corner, almost coming apart with age.

The room in itself was not as big as he had initially thought. Jay calculated about 10 to 15 square metres, uncomfortably small for four people. Four people, not three. Olinsky and Antonio fanned out as much as they could, trying to gauge what room they had been locked into. Ryan was nowhere to be seen. He was about to alert the others before Antonio's voice cut through the thick silence.

"Hey guys, I found a ladder, so we might have another exit." He was in front of Jay, who was standing in the middle of the room, lost in thought as he analysed the space with only his eyes for now. The very same eyes widened as they followed the ladder-shaped shadow, catching the form hiding upon the scales.

"Antonio, move!" Ryan jumped, pistol whipping Antonio as he landed on all fours before the words fully left Jay's mouth. Dawson staggered to the ground, not even aware of what had hit him before Ryan was sprinting towards the other door, clearly going crazy in the confinement. "Olinsky." Jay didn't have to move before there was the sound of somebody choking, multiple limbs hitting the ground at once, and Al casually dusting his hands against his pants.

"He's out, is Antonio okay?" He appeared next to Jay's elbow, already stepping forward to help Dawson. Antonio groaned some form of an answer to Olinsky's question, but he didn't move from his prone position on the floor.  
"I can barely see him. Tony? I'm going to help you sit up, okay?" Jay kept his voice low, wary of a possible concussion as he dragged Antonio to the other side of the room and sat him up against the wall before crouching next to him.  
"Where is he?" Antonio blinked, rubbing his eyes harshly before he found Jay's face.

"Al knocked him out. Stay still." Jay gently passed a hand through Antonio's hair, searching for the hit; He was rewarded by a hiss and sticky liquid when his fingers grazed behind the other detective's right ear. Jay did his best to ignore Dawson's rigidity as he probed around the wound, trying to gauge how deep it was. However, he gave up as more blood spilled over his fingers and Dawson swore, his eyes glassy as he focused on Jay.

"Try to find something to use as a bandage in those boxes. I'll keep pressure on it, I have my handkerchief in my pocket. Don't worry Tonio, freshly washed." Alvin released a sigh of relief when Antonio's lips quirked before his features morphed into a frown as Olinsky found the wound and pressed the handkerchief to it, attempting to stop the bleeding. "You nauseous?"  
"No." Antonio shrugged, sucking a breath through his teeth as his head swam.

"Jay, do you have your phone? Mine's busted." Olinsky dropped the clearly broken phone to the ground, worried as Antonio listed sideways into his hands, clearly still dizzy.  
"It wasn't on me, only have the walkie-talkie. Check Antonio's, he was on top of us." Jay's voice came from a few feet away **,** slightly muffled by the rustling of the contents in the boxes.  
"Don't mind me, pal." Al shifted his weight so that he was kneeling; one of Antonio's legs between his own as he patted down the other's jacket. Satisfaction filling his being when he unearthed the cracked, but still functioning, phone from the pocket. "Sorry for this Tony." Olinsky quickly found the flashlight and raised it to Antonio's eyes, wincing as the Dominican released a guttural shout of shock before shying away from the sudden bright light.

"Antonio?!" Jay was suddenly next to them, cupping the back of Antonio's neck and pulling the other so that his head was resting on Jay's shoulder, automatically running a hand through the older detective's hair as Antonio shuddered mutely.  
"He's got a mild concussion. I had to check Jay, we should keep him awake. At least until the Fire department gets here and can guide us properly." Olinsky turned off the flashlight, preserving the battery's life as he stuffed it in his own pocket.  
"Can you call them?" Jay took over pressurising the wound, noticing that Antonio was slowly starting to relax slightly as the pain in his head abated to a more tolerable level.  
"No service. What did you find in those boxes?" Olinsky lay a hand on Antonio's shoulder, squeezing the limb as Antonio pulled back to rest against the wall once again.  
"Yeah, about that." Jay rubbed his head with his free hand, releasing a breath before speaking. "I think we're in a panic room."  
"Panic room?" Antonio's hoarse voice broke the shocked silence, both eyebrows raised as he looked around.  
"People used to build them to hide from sudden robbers or home invaders, or to hide things. Never expected one in this neighbourhood, and definitely not one like this. Whatever it is, it hasn't been used in a while." Olinsky explained briefly as he folded the handkerchief in two, trying to find a piece which wasn't saturated with blood.  
"Yeah, there isn't any medicinal stuff, but I found water and a couple of blankets. Others are just full of books and children things." Jay shrugged out of his vest as he spoke, easing it behind Antonio to provide a semblance of protection from the coldness of the wall.  
"Get the water; We'll tear a piece of our shirts to clean and bandage that, or else it's going to keep bleeding." Olinsky took over pressure again as Jay grabbed one water bottle and a blanket, tearing a strip out of it before kneeling next to Antonio, who seemed uncomfortable with all the attention.

Olinsky had already ripped a part of his shirt, and he wadded it up before soaking it in water, gently sponging behind Antonio's ear. The other was surprisingly compliant, even leaning forward to make the side of his head more accessible to Olinsky. The dim lighting was enough to see where the open wound was once the blood was cleaned away, and Olinsky pressed the shirt against it while Jay tied the blanket-strip around Antonio's head, securing the make-shift gauze in place just as the sound of sirens suddenly sounded from above, feet trespassing right on top of them.

"Jay, check to see if the ladder leads somewhere." Jay hopped onto the scales, easily reaching the top and noticing that there was a trap door there, almost camouflaged against the tiles of the ceiling. He pushed against it, but it didn't budge. Alternating his course of action, he thumped harshly against it, grateful when the steps above ceased and someone returned his thumping.

"Is anyone in there?" Casey's distorted voice came through, and Jay could have wept in relief.  
"We're trapped!" His voice echoed in the metal room, and Jay hoped that it was loud enough to be heard from outside.  
"Do you have your radio?" Jay tapped his walkie-talkie, but there was nothing but static.  
"No frequency or service down here."  
"Okay, this door is sealed shut. We can't get you through here without risking everything collapsing on top of you. Some of the house is still on fire, so we need to extinguish that and clear the debris first. How did you get in there?" More steps sounded, and Jay caught tendrils of conversation on the other side.  
"Stairs in the kitchen; the door is barricaded with debris as well." Jay shouted, thinking it wise to give all the information that he had.  
"We'll work our way to you through there, but it might take a while. Is someone hurt?"  
"Antonio got a mild concussion. He's pretty out of it, but we're keeping him awake."  
"Brett and Dawson will remain near here in case you need something, we're going to start working from the other side, okay?" Casey didn't wait for an approval before he was gone, his steps echoing as he headed to the front of the house. "Thanks, man." Jay slid down to where his team-mates were, grateful to see that Antonio seemed a bit more cognizant than before.  
"Out of it?" The drawl was paired with raised eyebrows, the Dominican clearly amused by Jay's choice of words.  
"You're never quiet while people attend to you man, so yeah, you're out of it."

Antonio shrugged, seemingly unperturbed with the whole situation as he relaxed against the wall, making sure to keep his head as still as possible. Jay kept one hand wrapped around the detective's wrist as he settled next to the other, not commenting when Alvin pushed Antonio's head to rest on Jay's shoulder and kept his hand on the other's head, threading his fingers through the dark locks every now and again.

Ryan was still unconscious on the other side of the room.

* * *

Olinsky gazed around the room, his nose wrinkling as he saw the unsettled dust. He knew that a silent Dawson was a brooding Dawson, but right now he was just glad that Antonio was stable enough to wait for a rescue. He switched on the phone again, rechecking the service and grunting silently as the bars refused to show. Making sure to keep the light away from Antonio's eyes, he silently rechecked the wound, pleased with the lack of fresh blood.

Olinsky sighed, feeling the bruises forming from his tumble down the stairs as he settled next to his teammates. He was close enough to Dawson that he could feel his chest rise and fall with every breath he took, but he would deny that it was his intention all along. Head wounds here were never as bad as they were in Afghanistan. Head wounds there could kill, shrapnel easily hiding in the wounds until infection ate their brain. Most often they had to shoot them in order to keep moving.

Liabilities couldn't be afforded, and camps were not always in the vicinity.

He knew that Jay could relate, but they never commented on their mutual past.

The silence was disturbed as a multitude of people sounded from the other side of the door, hacking away at the debris. Olinsky was glad. He didn't like Antonio's pallor, nor did he feel reassured as Antonio's lids slipped to half-mast, hiding the pain he could see swimming in the dark orbs. He was about to comment before Antonio shifted, huffing quietly and clearly growing agitated as he batted Jay's hands away. His eyes flickered, looking blindly around as he attempted to stand up only for Jay's hands to push him down again.

"Antonio? It's better if you remain seated buddy." Antonio didn't seem to hear him, eyes roaming as he gazed around the room as if seeing it for the first time.

"I need to walk, I'm tired of sitting." He was evidently getting more antsy and Olinsky silently pushed Jay back, recognizing Antonio's need to simply move from the position that they had trapped him in. "How long till we get out?" He walked around the room, feeling along the walls and crossing from one side to the other in less than ten steps, hands reaching out to push against the walls in a silent wish for them to not close in.

"They're near, shouldn't be too long now." Olinsky kept his voice calm, a touch of fear rising in his chest as hysteric brown eyes turned to gaze down at him.

"It's small."  
"Antonio, are you claustrophobic?" Jay's question was followed by a step towards the other detective.

A grave mistake.

"Don't come closer!" Antonio's voice rose to a high pitch, echoing in their metallic confinement. "It's too small, there isn't enough space." Antonio started feeling along the walls again, and Olinsky subtly moved so that the other would not find the ladder and climb it, only to panic more when he found another inoperable door. "Can't you feel the air running out? We're being poisoned by our own breath." He was nearing hysteria now, hands reaching up to pull at his hair, puffed breaths clearly audible as their rescuers ceased their banging. "They stopped, we're trapped, they can't get us out, we're dying." Antonio's voice caught, the older detective releasing a wheeze as his lungs refused to draw in air.

Olinsky stopped Jay from going over, knowing that Antonio had to exhaust himself first.

"Oh God, I'm never seeing my kids again." The sudden realisation threw the father into a frenzy, and Olinsky quickly changed his mind as Dawson threw himself against the door, shoulder banging against the metal.

"ANTONIO!" Jay's shout was muffled by their steps as both of them grabbed the other detective, holding him close even as he struggled.

"LET ME GO! I NEED TO GET TO THEM! I need to…" Antonio's words died out into wisps of air as he struggled against Jay, limbs uncoordinated but as strong as ever as he attempted to elbow his way out of their holds until Jay kicked the back of his knees and took the both of them to the floor, restraining Dawson against the ground. Olinsky grabbed the discarded vest, sliding it under Antonio's head just in case the other slammed it against the ground.

"Antonio, look at me." Jay's authoritative voice pierced through Antonio's panic and the older detective stilled, blinking owlishly up at Jay even as fear still swam in his orbs.

"Jay, let me go. I need to get to my kids. I have to tell them one last goodbye. Laura already took them away, I can't not do this now. I need to tell them I love them, MOVE!" Antonio's yell echoed in their metallic chamber, stunning the two other occupants. Jay, struck by Antonio's varying energy and mood, was easily flung aside by the boxer as Antonio took to his feet again, once more banging against the wall in an attempt to open it, before he noticed that it was all in vain. Olinsky didn't have time to react before Dawson was feeling all along the walls again, all the time mumbling phrases similar to "too small" or "need air" or "God, will I die like this?" until he found the ladder. The metallic ring as his watch hit the scales was enough to jar both Alvin and Jay as Antonio attempted to climb it, even though he was promptly stopped by Jay's arms enclosing around his waist and pulling him back. Olinsky slid between Antonio and the ladder, trying to get the other detective to focus on him.

However, Antonio's eyes were unfocused and glazed over, the panic blowing his pupils and threatening to swallow the brown orbs as they attempted to track around the dimly lit room, clearly growing more anxious as he saw the vicinity of the walls and of the three of them to his being. He attempted to wrestle his way out once again, but this time they were prepared and Alvin took the wrestler's wrists in his own, helping to immobile the injured detective as Jay managed to sit the both of them down, Antonio ending up between Halstead's legs as he was pinned between Alvin and Jay's chest.

"Antonio, look at me." Alvin grabbed the other's chin, forcing Antonio to stop fidgeting and look into his eyes. Anguish tore at his heart as he saw the terror on his friend's face, trepidation settling deep in his stomach when Antonio whimpered, tears pooling in his eyes as his lungs refused to slow down their pace, forcing his heart to go into overdrive in order to keep up. He wasn't struggling anymore; he couldn't even if he wanted, given how Jay had his arms wrapped around Dawson's chest from behind, and Alvin was kneeling almost on his legs. Olinsky had the passing thought that Jay's hands were the only thing keeping Dawson from curling into a ball right there and then. "Antonio, I need you to relax. Can you hear me?" Relief almost broke his focus when Antonio jerkily nodded, somewhat lucid eyes finally meeting his own. "Good, I need you to listen to me, okay? You need to slow down your breathing, or else you're going to pass out, and we don't want that." Alvin paused, making sure that his words had truly sunk into Antonio's brain before he continued. "Lay back, there's Jay behind you." Antonio tensed at the prospect but made no complaint as he slowly leaned back, arms relaxing at his sides as Jay eased his hold, even if he still kept his fingers on his friend's biceps just in case. "Close your eyes." The request was met by a sharp inhale and a slight tremor before they fluttered close, even if the action renewed his fidgeting. "Can you feel Jay's breathing against your back?" His question was met with a shaky nod. "Okay, I need you to follow it. Try to." Alvin's soft voice, coupled with Jay's incessant cuddling and the fingers softly threading through his hair, seemed to be helping as Antonio's fidgeting died down and he seemed to relax slightly as he attempted to follow Olinsky's instructions.

His chest still stuttered, clearly struggling to slow down from the previous pattern of inhales and exhales, but he managed to somewhat deepen his breathing, chest rising and falling almost in sync with Jay's own. The spell was broken by a crash from outside which made Antonio jump harshly off the ground, fingers unashamedly clutching at Alvin's own hand as he gazed wildly around, attempting to place himself.

"Antonio, it's okay. Breathe. Focus on Jay. I'm going to be right back." Olinsky slowly rose up, making sure that Antonio was attempting to follow Jay's breathing again before he knocked gently on the door. "Hey guys, any ETA on our rescue?"

"We're almost there. You doing okay?" Severide's voice filtered through, clearly close to the door.  
"Dawson's not doing so hot. Is Gabriela still near the other entrance?" Olinsky kept his voice low, but there was no reaction from the other pair in the room.  
"Yeah, tell her what she's expecting, she should be prepared." Severide seemed to move away, and the sound of shifting debris hit his ears once again.  
"I will."

* * *

"Hey Gabriella." Olinsky knocked on the trapdoor, making sure that he was not talking to empty air.  
"Yeah?" She sounded anxious, almost panicky herself.  
"Your brother just had a panic attack. He's disoriented and can't really breathe." Olinsky gazed back at his friends, but they were shrouded in shadows.  
"Keep him awake and try to distract him. Make sure he remains sitting up, it will be easier to breathe. Try to protect him from the ground, it's cold today and it will only force him to shut down." Gabby's factual voice was reassuring, especially when contrasted with the wheezes that he could still hear under him.  
"Gotcha." He slid down the ladder, holding in a groan as his knees creaked annoyingly with discomfort. It was cold in the room, and now that the adrenaline had fully faded away, Alvin was suddenly aware of the frigid temperature that was making him feel stiffer than usual as he kneeled in front of the other detectives.

Antonio looked small, dwarfed in Jay's arms. Despite the fact that he was shorter than almost everyone in the unit, excluding the girls, Alvin would never have attributed any diminutive adjectives to Antonio. His presence was usually felt throughout the room, his strong spirit as invigorating as the man himself. However, now he was lying exhaustively against the veteran, head lolling sideways in such a way that his forehead met Jay's chin. Slight tremors travelled through his frame. His arms lied limply on his stomach, fingers curled inwards as they grasped at air. His eyes were only open half-mast, and his noisy inhales bothered Olinsky as he gently took his friend's pulse; relieved to find a steady, if somewhat uneven, beat beneath his fingers.

"He's in and out, seems to be considerably calmer. But he's cold. All of us are actually." Jay emphasised his statement by rubbing Antonio's arms, trying to warm up the frozen limbs. Despite the fact that Antonio was the one with the thickest jacket out of all of them, it was no revelation that he got cold easily, and the hands beneath Olinsky's were tinged red and icy to the touch.

Antonio stirred slightly, eyes locking with Alvin's own for a few seconds before he smiled and closed his eyes, clearly bothered by the small movement as a wince coloured his features.

"Headache?"  
A hum.  
"Nausea?"  
A slight, very small, nod.  
"Dizzy?"  
"Immensely." His voice was hoarse, and Olinsky squeezed his thigh in response, suddenly noticing the new cuts on Antonio's hands and the clearly bruising knuckles.  
"Jay, check his head."

"It's bleeding again, I can feel the blood." Jay sounded worried as he jostled Antonio, making sure that the other remained conscious as Alvin gently turned Dawson's face, evoking a small groan as the injury was gently prodded before Alvin tightened the make-shift bandage. "Can you bring those blankets over here? At least to avoid the coldness from the ground. They're too dusty to wrap around us, and they'll probably fall apart."

"Sure." Olinsky headed to the corner, his progress aided by the torchlight on Antonio's phone as he found the blankets, only two of which were still whole. He swiftly shook them out, laying them next to Jay on the ground.

"Antonio, I need you to move a bit." Alvin took hold of Antonio's elbows and hoisted him up, making sure to keep holding him as Antonio wavered, very nearly turning green at the sudden change in altitude.

"I'm going to sit him sideways; that way he can share more body heat with you." Alvin gently manoeuvred Antonio so that Jay was facing Antonio's hip.  
"I'm still here you know." The protest was a mild one, and Dawson didn't object as he was lowered down until his ass was between Jay's legs again, unashamedly relieved as his head came to rest against Jay's shoulder.  
"Yeah, just one step away from passing out due to blood loss and a probable concussion. Need me to add on?" Olinsky continued to banter with the clearly weary detective as he checked the wound again with the light, relieved to notice that the blood had ceased to flow.  
"You forgot to mention cold." Antonio shrugged, snuggling closer to Jay as the cold air seeped through his jackets, making him shiver and nearly whimper as the harsh movement jarred his body.  
"We'll be out soon bro, just stay awake, okay?" Jay tightened his hold, as if he could force his body heat into Antonio's own.  
"Can't really sleep with you rambling in my ear, can I?" Antonio huffed against Jay's collar, trying to borrow his hands in his sleeves before Alvin caught hold of the cold appendages, warming them with his own hands.  
"I'll remain rambling if it means you stay awake. Your sister is going to have both of our asses because you went ahead and got injured again." Jay rolled his eyes good-naturedly, noting with relief that the teasing was keeping Antonio's mind off of the size of the room.  
"You're scared of Gabby?" Antonio grimaced as there was a loud, high-pitched noise from outside that seemed to grate onto his insides.

"Anyone with a semblance of sense would be scared of Gabby when she's worried about you." Jay shrugged, unconsciously jostling Antonio as the other detective laughed. However, the joyful expression quickly turned into a grimace as harsh shivers continued to wreck his frame and the sounds from outside grew closer; the breaking of debris, shifting of rocks, and sound of metal on metal being enough to propel pain throughout his skull as the concussion made itself known. Antonio curled further into himself, but Jay's hands were already over his ears, protecting his friend from further pain even as the sounds couldn't be completely blocked out.

Alvin was close to knocking Antonio out just to ease his suffering when the door opened, the hinges crying out against the forced entry. Kelly stumbled in, surprised to see the other unconscious person, who Alvin had forgotten all about, before he made his way to them, worry clear on his features as he saw Antonio slowly uncurl from his position, tremors making their way through his frame once again.

"It's colder in here than it is outside. Come on, let's get them out." Matthew kneeled down next to Antonio, twisting an arm around his brother in-law's back as Antonio wavered on his feet, very nearly going down again.  
"His equilibrium's shot to hell. He was hit behind his ear." Al spoke up but stepped back as Jay took his place on Antonio's other side, him and Casey slowly easing Dawson through the debris and to the stairs.  
"This one's here just knocked out, he seems to be coming around." Kelly said from near the door as he heaved Ryan's form on his back, easily passing the others as he deposited their suspect in the second ambulance.

Al followed him, leaving the other fire-fighters to sweep the room. His aches and soreness were making themselves known as his joints protested their use while he climbed the stairs. Antonio seemed to be doing fine with two people supporting him, and Al felt both relieved and worried as he saw them sitting him down at the back of the ambo. The harsh sunlight highlighted the blood that was trickling down his neck in an eerie pattern, as if reaching for the rest of his body. The dishevelled dark hair trickled into his eyes, only to be pushed back as Gabriella assaulted her brother with her torchlight. His pallor was easily noticeable, and Al winced as he saw Dawson's drawn expression, indicating his discomfort at the public fussing.

"You ok Al?" Voight's voice sounded from his right, and Alvin only nodded in response when he saw the rest of the team hovering nearby, all appearing at different stages of relief and worry. "What happened to him?" An arm rested on his shoulder, squeezing briefly before falling away. Olinsky didn't convey how Ruzek's small gesture eased his nerves, as if it was the necessary thing to convince his mind that he was indeed safe now.

"He noticed the house was going to blow and threw us down a couple of steps and into a panic room. We were all banged up, but Ryan seemed to especially hate the fact that we were trapped and he went ballistic, knocked Antonio out in an attempt to escape. He probably has a concussion and might need a few stitches, but he seemed lucid most of the time." Alvin conveniently left out the panic attack, and the others seemed to buy his story as they dispersed to handle the growing crowd, leaving only Voight and Olinsky behind.

"What did you leave out?" It was not a demand, but Alvin felt compelled to answer his friend and boss all the same.  
"He had a panic attack; freaked us out. It was a bit crazy down there, then he settled down and was only half there until you rescued us. Don't know if it's claustrophobia or just the head wound that really knocked him off of his ass in there." Olinsky shrugged, eyes still locked on where Brett was checking out Jay while Gabriella nursed her brother; conveniently blocking the sun from his face as she removed their makeshift bandage from around his head.  
"I'll have a talk with him once the hospital lets him go. I think it was the head wound though, I'm pretty sure that he's been in tighter situations than that room." Voight shrugged as Casey approached them.  
"Did the paramedics check you out, Al?" Severide ran his eyes up and down Olinsky's body, running his own visual assessment.  
"I'm fine, just a few bumps and bruises. Antonio's the only injured one in reality." Alvin shrugged, smiling at the fire-fighters.  
"Well, you guys were lucky to have found that room. The explosion would have taken out any normal basement. At least the blow was low enough to not affect the nearby houses. Someone really knew what he was doing." Casey commented.  
"It was set off with a switch of some kind, most probably by the other guy who was with you. The paramedics found a remote in his pocket. Safe to assume that we don't have another arsonist on the loose." Severide shrugged as he took a swig from his water bottle, relieving his parched throat.  
"Come on Sev, let's go finish the cleanup. If you guys need anything, let us know." Casey nodded tersely at the cops before turning back to the obliterated house again.

* * *

"STAY STILL ANTONIO!" Gabby huffed, her apparent anger betrayed by the gentle hold that she had on his chin in order to keep him from moving his head again.

Antonio was eerily silent, just following her instructions and allowing both her and Brett to check his vitals and so on to decide whether or not they were taking him to Med. That alone was worrying - Antonio was never quiet, especially when he was being publically fussed upon. His pride always had a say, particularly when there was a crowd of gossiping ladies much like she could see gathering all around. Jay seemed equally worried, gazing at Antonio even if her brother seemed unaware that he was their object of concentration, not even paying any attention to Brett as she cleaned his wound, nimble fingers brushing away the hair and dousing the open graze with alcohol. Antonio obediently lowered his head, giving the blonde better access and allowing nothing more than a hiss to escape from his mouth. He was evidently pained; the white-knuckled grip on the ridge of the ambulance and the tight jaw were blatant giveaways. She slipped her stethoscope over his chest, brow furrowing as the too fast heartbeat echoed in her ears.

"Hey, Gabby?" His voice shook her out of her thoughts as he blinked repeatedly, his face paling while something akin to fear slipped over his features.  
"Yeah?" She cupped his cheek, trying to angle his face towards her even if he didn't seem able to lock his eyes with hers.  
"Why's everything blurry?" As if to prove his point Antonio reached a hand up to rub his eyes, hissing as the pressure revamped the pain in his head.  
"Antonio, can you see me?" Gabby tapped his cheek, gently lowering his arm and trying to peer into his pupils even as she signalled at Brett to stop cleaning his wound and check his blood pressure.  
"Dizzy." The word was just a whispered breath, and his hoarseness took her by surprise as the panic seemed to envelop him slowly.  
"His blood pressure bottomed." Brett spoke up from the side, worry apparent in her eyes as she stuck two fingers underneath his jaw.  
"ANTONIO!" Jay suddenly shot forward, dropping the blanket as he grasped Antonio's shoulders seconds before the detective completely passed out, his dead weight falling against the veteran and Gabby.

"Jay, get him on the stretcher. Brett, you drive." Gabby's command was barely heard as Adam and Atwater came barrelling to their side, having just seen Antonio pass out.

"You're too close to this, Gabby. I'll take care of him, just get us to Med." Brett gently yet firmly pushed her shaking friend away before she slid into the ambo, getting out the IVs and gauze as Atwater easily slipped his arms underneath Antonio's back, allowing Jay to bracket the Dominican's head while Ruzek adjusted his feet so that they lied him on the stretcher without causing further harm. "Jay, you're riding?" Brett didn't even look at them as she turned Antonio's head, slapping a piece of gauze behind his ear and hooking him to the heart monitor before strapping him to the gurney.

"Yeah, I'll come with." Jay sat to the side, staying out of the way while Brett methodically checked for any broken bones before slipping an oxygen mask on Antonio's face just as Atwater slammed the doors closed, slapping on the metal to signal that Gabby could drive.  
"How is he?" Gabby's shout echoed in the small space as Brett inserted an IV in his arm.

"Low pressure, rapid heartbeat. Stable otherwise." Brett responded automatically, lost in her thoughts as she sat back, gazing at her ex-boyfriend lying helplessly on the stretcher, ashen face utterly devoid of both colour and expression. She could never mistake him for being simply asleep. Antonio's features were expressive even when he slumbered, revealing nothing yet hiding just as much. The mask obscured most of his face, evidently pressing uncomfortably against his cheekbones, yet it was helping him. His breathing was still slightly shallow; expected after a panic attack. However, it seemed to be getting shallower, and she noticed only seconds before Jay that Antonio was coming around.

"Tony?" Antonio blinked owlishly at the ceiling before he tried to move, and all hell broke loose as he noticed that he couldn't move anything except for one arm.  
"What the hell?" The question was breathed out as Antonio's heartbeat skyrocketed; the monitor beeping shrilly as Antonio attempted to get free.  
"Antonio, it's ok. You're strapped in just so you don't fall." Jay stepped forward, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder as Antonio whimpered, blown pupils seeking a semblance of comfort.  
"Brett, unbuckle him! He's feeling oppressed, tying him down will only make it worse." Gabby spoke up, worry apparent in her voice.  
"Antonio-" Jay attempted to distract his friend while Brett made short work of the buckles, releasing the detective. He made no move to sit up, but it was immensely apparent that the lack of restriction relieved him.  
"It's small." Antonio's eyes roamed around the ambo before locking firmly on the window, keeping his eye on the expanse of the road outside.  
"We'll get you to a bigger room soon, Antonio. You have enough air, so just breathe nice and easy for me, okay?" Brett smiled, threading her fingers through his hair as she slipped a sedative in his IV, feeling relief course through her as he slowly relaxed, his eyes fluttering close as he slipped into unconsciousness.  
"Brett?"  
"I sedated him, he's asleep." Brett patted his cheeks gently, allowing her thumb to trace his cheekbone before she pulled away as they arrived at the hospital.

* * *

His mind felt as if it was full of cotton candy; the thick and fluffy kind that Eva used to obsess over when she was younger. The stiff mattress under his back ensured that he was once again at Med, and the pinch on his finger quickly gave place to the annoying beeping of the heart monitor. There was a blanket dragged up to his chest, scratchy but warm, and it seemed to chase away the remaining chill that had settled in his bones earlier.

Earlier.  
In that basement.  
In that claustrophobic basement.

Antonio's eyes shot open as the cold seeped back into his bones, making him wonder if he actually was at the hospital or not. His sudden and panicked return to the world of the living was apprehended by a gentle hand on his shoulder and another on his forehead, forcing him to meet his sister's and Jay's gazes before they backed away, allowing him to see the significant space of the room. There was an open window behind Jay as well, letting fresh air sweep in and caress his cheeks; the part not covered by the obnoxious mask.

"Welcome back, sleeping beauty." Gabby broke the silence as she sat down next to her brother, taking his hand in hers and gently brushing the top of it with her thumb.  
"Took you long enough, Brett had to go grab something to eat before she passed out. Poor girl was out of her mind with worry." Jay's voice was teasing, obviously aiming to embarrass the bedridden detective, and clearly succeeding as Antonio felt his cheeks flare with colour.  
"They'll have enough time together. She can look after his head wound as well." Gabriella raised an eyebrow as Antonio frowned before reaching up a hand to probe at the bandage that was wrapped around his head. That would explain the slight headache that was thumping behind his eyes.  
"You got pistol-whipped bro, docs had to shave a bit of your hair to stitch properly." Jay grinned as he pulled away Antonio's hand, stopping him from completely dismantling the bandage or pulling away the mask.  
"At least I don't have to cut it at the barber's now." Antonio grinned as Gabriella shook her head at his weak humour, just before Brett stumbled in with three coffees and a half-eaten donut in her mouth.  
"Hi, Antonio!" The words were garbled, and her huff of breath caused icing sugar to powder the air, but Antonio still found it in himself to grin at her, appreciating the beauty in front of him even if her hair was dishevelled.  
"Hey yourself."  
"How long have you been awake?" She fumbled with the coffee, succeeding in putting everything down on the table without spilling anything.  
"Just now. How long have I been out?" Antonio frowned as he realised that he had no idea how much time had passed.  
"A few hours or so, we just peeked in because we dropped off a patient. Doc. Halstead just wants to check you out before they release you." Gabby shrugged before getting up and leaving, presumably to get the younger Halstead into the room.  
"You up for Eva and Diego tonight? I told them we might settle in and watch a few movies, let you rest as well." Brett shrugged, blue eyes wide with worry as her eyes flickered from his face to the monitors behind him, seemingly pleased with what she was seeing. He wasn't really surprised; he'd never spent too much time down after a panic attack.  
"I'm always up to see my children Sylvie, even more so if you can make it as well." He tipped one side of his mouth, grinning as she nodded, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.  
"How long have you been having panic attacks?" She suddenly changed the topic, worry apparent in her eyes as Jay hummed his agreement.  
"I don't usually have them; only when head wounds and panic mix together, or when a room is particularly small. In this case, it was both, but I'll be fine, just rest and fluids." Antonio shrugged off the concern, grabbing Sylvie's hand between his own as she nodded, accepting his explanation.

"Well, look who's finally lucid!" Will grinned, mischief clear in his eyes.  
"Did I do something?" Antonio inhaled sharply, fully aware that he usually instigated havoc in the aftermath of a panic attack or when he wasn't fully calm. And he usually didn't remember anything.  
"Nah, you were pumped full of sedatives before you could fall off the gurney." Will had Antonio sit up and quickly checked him over, even as Antonio dropped several hints that he was fine and did not need more fussing.  
"Just let him do his job brother. We have to get back to work. I'll drop by later at your apartment, okay?" Gabby shrugged on her jacket and hooked on her belt before bending down, kissing her brother's cheek.  
"Love you, sis."  
"I'll see you tonight." Brett smiled at him, the subtle wink easily hidden by her hand as she pretended to stretch before chugging the rest of her coffee.  
"See ya, Brett." The fondness in his tone was crystal clear, and he burrowed his face in her shoulder as she hugged him, neither of them commenting if she held him a bit tighter than usual before releasing his gown and swiftly escaping the room.  
"Well, the good news is that you're ready to be discharged. The bad news; I won't let you go home alone. You still have the effects of the concussion, so someone should monitor you." Will shrugged as he unhooked the IV from Antonio's arm, swiftly sticking a band-aid on the inside of his elbow before tugging the blood pressure cuff off.  
"I'll watch over him until Brett finishes her shift, no worries." Jay spoke up from next to the window, grinning when he noticed Antonio's gratitude.  
"I'll go get your discharge papers then." Will turned off the EKG before he left the room, lab coat flapping behind him.

"Don't you have to go to work?" Antonio raised an eyebrow at the younger detective once Will was fully out of the room. Deep down he was thankful for the enforced company; he never did well when left alone after a particular attack, and Jay was doing an awesome job of distracting him when his mind threatened to wander into that basement again. He was scared of how many subsequent mini attacks he'd have if he was left alone. He knew without a shadow of doubt that Gabriella had orchestrated this, knowing that her brother would not like to be left alone and that he would respond better to someone who knew exactly what was on his mind, and couldn't help but be thankful that they were so close as siblings. He was knocked out of his thoughts when Jay answered his question.

"Nah, Voight let me off so I can take care of you, lest you try to discharge yourself and we find you dead in a ditch somewhere. Extra paperwork for us, you know? Besides, be thankful I'm springing you out, you would have died here. God knows you see these rooms often enough." Jay slapped Antonio's shoulder, knowing that the older detective could not argue with his reasoning because ultimately, it was spot on.  
"Thanks, Jay. Now, where are my clothes? This gown smells like somebody peed in it."

Antonio laughed as Jay made a disgusted face at him, clearly wishing to forget the last piece of information that Antonio gave him before he threw him a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie.

"What happened to my jeans man?" Antonio wasn't protesting, the sweatpants were much more comfortable, but he was still puzzled.  
"Gabby dropped them off at your apartment when she got these; it will save you the hassle of changing once you get home." Jay shrugged as he helped the other untie the gown, easily slipping it over Antonio's shoulder before the other tossed it on the bed.  
"Thanks." Antonio relished the warmness of his hoodie, feeling utterly warm and contented as his mind slowly banished the paranoia of walls falling in around him, entrapping them in a place with no air and letting them slowly suffocate in their own gases.  
"Antonio, focus on me man, come on. You sure you're good to go?" Jay was suddenly in front of him, fingers gently grasping his chin and angling his head upwards.  
"I'm good Jay, just a bit mentally addled. It's normal." Antonio smiled tightly as the headache flared, begging him to rest instead of force himself to remain awake against his body's demands.  
"You're going to sleep once we get to your apartment, no arguments. Or else you won't enjoy your children tonight dude." Jay gently mussed Antonio's hair, letting his fingers gently massage the other's head until Will came back, a stack of papers in his hand and a list in the other.  
"Antonio, sign these. Jay, these are what you have to look out for. Any of these symptoms appear, you bring him back here, deal?" Will made sure that Jay pocketed the list before grasping the papers that Antonio had signed, flashing a smile at the two of them. "Take care guys, try to stay out of trouble. I'll see you tomorrow at dinner Jay, don't forget!" With that remark Will left, clearly hurried as his pager beeped relentlessly from his pocket.  
"Come on, let's get out of here." Jay made sure that Antonio was steady on his feet before letting go, allowing the other detective to walk on his own out of the hospital.

* * *

"He was asleep for a couple of hours, just gave him ibuprofen for the headache and he was out like the lights. He's just washing now, happy to finally see his kids." Jay spoke in between sips of coffee as Brett readied dinner, clearly knowing her way around the kitchen.  
"The kids know that Antonio is not at the top of his game, they'll be on their best behaviour tonight. Did you change the bandage around his head?" Brett let the salsa sizzle, turning her full attention to Jay for a few minutes.  
"Yeah, it's not showing any signs of infection or anything, but it's itchy according to him." Jay shrugged, dropping his mug on top of the pile of cutlery already in the sink.  
"I can help with that, I've got a salve with me. Idiot always forgets about it even if he has more experience with stitches than me." Brett turned to the sink, dousing everything in warm, soapy water before Antonio suddenly appeared in the kitchen, clearly feeling much better if the colour in his cheek and the relaxed eyes were anything to go by.  
"Hey Antonio, how are you feeling?" Jay dropped a mug of coffee in front of his friend, who accepted it with a brief thanks.  
"Much better, at least the panic wore off. The headache's still thumping away, but it's much milder. At least there's no nausea this time." Antonio took a swig of the coffee, inching closer to its warmth.  
"Some more rest will fix that, the kids will be getting here soon." Brett smiled as she finished the dishes, sitting down next to Antonio on the table.  
"I'll be taking my leave, take care guys." Jay waved at the couple as he made his way out, happiness making his heart lighter as he noticed that Antonio was finally feeling joy again with Brett.

* * *

"How are you, really?" The concern in Brett's voice was easily decipherable as her fingers danced across his shoulders, massaging some of the tension away.  
"I'm still a bit sore, but that's normal. I haven't had one in years, I'll just sleep it off." Antonio drew the woman onto his lap, meeting her lips softly before kissing down her neck, eliciting tiny sounds from her before she pulled away.  
"Eva and Diego should be here soon; I'm not starting something right now." She laughed, making him chuckle as he hugged her close, relishing her comfort and warmth as she held him just as close, making sure that he could feel her own relief.  
"Brett?"  
"Yeah?" Her voice was as quiet as his, and he smothered a chuckle in her shoulder.  
"I think the salsa is burning."  
"SHIT!" Her curse drew a deep chuckle from him as he watched her fumble around the oven to mix the pasta with the sauce just before the doorbell rang, signalling the arrival of his children.

* * *

An hour later, Antonio and Brett were huddled on the couch while Diego and Eva curled up on the armchairs, a bowl of popcorn on each of their lap as they stared at the screen, captivated by the brilliancy of "The Greatest Showman". Such was their interest that only Brett noticed when Antonio listed sideways, his head falling on her own head as she was resting on his shoulder. She smiled, gently extracting herself before Diego turned, noticing immediately that his father was asleep.

"Brett, drag him to the other side, I'll get his legs so he can lie down." She nodded at the teen, grabbing Antonio from underneath his arms and gently draping him over her lap, succumbing herself to the role of a pillow while Diego made sure that his father's limbs were not dangling down. Antonio didn't even stir, only curling on his side once Sylvie laid a hand on his forehead, its weight a soothing gesture in itself as the detective gave in to his body's demands for rest, an audible exhale escaping from between his lips.

"Will he be okay?" Eva's question was weighed down with worry as she draped a blanket over her father, tucking in the sides so that no warmth escaped.  
"Yeah, it's just been a rough day." Sylvie smiled at the seventeen-year-old, wishing that she had any other way to assure them that their father would be fine.  
"He's always exhausted after having a panic attack. Mum used to distract us, but I saw her taking care of him once before she came to play with us, and he told me everything. He just needs to sleep it off, right Brett?" Diego cocked his head, seeking affirmation from the trained medic.  
"Yeah, and the fact that he hasn't had one in a while means that it takes a harder toll on him. But anyway, let's continue watching the movie, then we can all go to sleep and you guys can check on him tomorrow, what do you think?" Brett grinned at them, softly threading her fingers through Antonio's hair as he burrowed deeper into her lap, his soft snores drowned out by the music of the film.

He'd be just fine.

She and the kids would make sure of that, even if it meant tying him down to the bed.

* * *

HI GUYS! So, yesterday was my birthday, so I decided to gift you with a work that I have been meaning to upload for weeks, but school got in the way.  
ANYWAY.  
Disclaimer: I do not own CPD, nor am I making any profit from this.

I hope you enjoyed this even if it was not the best of standards. Feel free to leave what you think in the comments. I love to hear your opinions!

I might get behind on because of school, but I'll try my best to provide a story now and then.

-Chrisii


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